Willys is famous for making the all-purpose Jeep during (and after) World War II. The name lives on today as a part of the Chrysler Corporation portfolio. After the war, they began making a station wagon (2WD) and a utility wagon (4WD) which continued through 1964. This 1960 edition of the utility wagon is described as a barn find, though we see no such structure anywhere in sight. It looks well-used and has some surface rust, but we’re told it runs well and is ready to go. Available here on craigslist by a dealer and in Lolo, Montana, this workhorse can be had for $7,995. Thanks for the old-time tip, T.J.!
Both Willys and Kaiser produced the variants of the Jeep in the U.S., although Kaiser exited the market much earlier. Besides the two wagons, there was also a panel delivery. Though U.S.-made wagons ceased production in 1964, they were still built into the 1970s in Argentina and Brazil. They were the first mass-market all-steel station wagons designed and built as passenger vehicles. And are considered to be the first production SUVs. More than 300,000 of these things left the assembly lines in the U.S., making them some of Willys’ most successful post-World War II models.
The seller doesn’t indicate which motor is in this Jeep nor is a photo provided. So, it could be either the 134 cubic inch I-4 called the Hurricane, or the 226 cubic inch I-6 known as the Super Hurricane. We’re told it runs well, so the four-wheel-drive hardware must be at least in passable condition. You could probably use it as-is if looks weren’t important, but the machine does need at least a cosmetic restoration. Lots of surface rust is present that may go deeper than that.
As an interesting side note, a Jeep model was named after a TV show in 1958. Willys was a sponsor of Maverick starring James Garner and Jack Kelly, so Willys christened one of their products, Maverick. Also noteworthy is that the Jeep Station Wagon and Utility Wagon were designed by Brooks Stevens. He would gain later recognition as the man behind the styling of the beautiful Studebaker Gran Turismo of 1962-64, perhaps the company’s most stunning car outside of the Avanti.
Whoa! First, Willys and Kaiser were, by this time, the same company. Kaiser Industries purchased Willys-Overland; and the decision was made to wind down Kaiser-Frazer, phase out Willys passenger cars, and focus on Jeep-related products. The new merged company was called Willys Motors, a name Kaiser kept until 1963, when it was rechristened Kaiser Jeep.
There was some naming variation in the early years: The 2wd units were called Willys; and the 4×4 models were given the ‘Jeep’ label. Always in quotes, as for decades, the Jeep name’s trademark rights were in question.
This is a fantastic find and it’s only a short distance from me. Sadly, I have not the money or the space…
Very handsome. These were stout. For the price I do not mind the rust.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaactually, stout indeed, all war proven innerds, but it’s spade calling time. Riding in one is not unlike riding in a metal coffee can with 7 marbles in it. These rattle, shake and vibrate at almost any speed, almost dangerous. The steering, brakes and a better heater are all must dos. My 1st “FFW” (some accused me of “not getting” the Jeep thing), in case YOU don’t get what a “FFW” was, it stands for “Flat Fender Willys”, and if one refers to these, as such, and if you are like me, one does indeed “get it”.
Now, my 1st FFW was a truck like this, a ’54, I think, with a SBC, adapter plate and Willys drivetrain. The biggest problem was gearing. It had like 5:88s, which, I’m sure this one does too, and the V8 was a hollerin’ at 55. I found a ’51 pickup with 19,000 mies, with a blown 6 cylinder, ( for $500 bucks, I must add, circa, 1992) put everything from the wagon into the pickup, but never solved the gearing issue. A 3:70 Wagoneer rear axle made it drivable, but something about the old Jeep suspension, wouldn’t accept the front axle, necessitating a complete front end change. Might want to take note of that. I ran it as a 2wd and my DD for several years.
It’s a great find, although I see several laying in the weeds out here, no ambition or reason to get it going. I’m pretty sure by 1960, most people knew all about the 4 cylinder and probably has the 6, not a heck of a lot better. At least DOUBLE of the cost to make it “modern”.